W-GEO CH1 VOCAB

Cartography

The science of making maps.

Photogrammetry

The science of taking measurements of Earth’s surface from photographs.

Global Positioning System (GPS)

A system that determines the precise position of something on Earth through a series of satellites, tracking stations, and receivers.

Meridian

An arc drawn on a map between the North and South poles.

Longitude

The numbering system used to indicate the location of meridians drawn on a globe and measuring distance east and west of the prime meridian (0°).

Latitude

The numbering system used to indicate the location of parallels drawn on a globe and measuring distance north and south of the equator ( 0°).

Coordinated Universal Time (UTC)

Informally Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). The time in the zone encompassing the prime meridian, or 0° longitude.

Map Scale

The relationship between the size of an object on a map and the size of the actual feature on Earth’s surface.

Projection

A system used to transfer locations from Earth’s surface to a flat map.

International Date Line

An arc that for the most part follows 180° longitude. When the International Date Line is crossed heading east (toward America), the clock moves back 24 hours, or one entire day. When it is crossed heading west (toward Asia), the calendar moves ahead one day.

Toponym

The name given to a portion of Earth’s surface.

Cultural Landscape

An approach to geography that emphasizes the relationships among social and physical phenomena in a particular study area.

Formal/Uniform region

An area in which most people share in one or more distinctive characteristics.

Hearth

A place from which an innovation originates.

Diffusion

The process of spread of a feature or trend from one place to another over time.

Network

A chain of communication that connects places.

Sustainability

The use of Earth’s renewable and nonrenewable natural resources in ways that do not constrain resource use in the future.